FEATURE: MOBILE WORKFORCE
improve productivity and retention, you end
up undermining both.
Don’t forget about culture
and management
As you think about the technology
infrastructure needed to make remote work
successful, you also need to consider the
organisational infrastructure – the policies
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most of the team is in the same room,
they should be on video so that remote
participants can see the entire group on
their screen.
• Invite questions and feedback: Keep
communication flowing by proactively
checking in from time to time both on
specific tasks and projects, and on the
remote work experience in general.
Use this as an opportunity to review
WHEN THERE’S A GAP BETWEEN
THE REMOTE WORK POLICY
YOU’RE INTRODUCING AND THE
INFRASTRUCTURE YOU PROVIDE,
YOU RUN A HIGH RISK OF
DISSATISFACTION AMONG BOTH
EMPLOYEES AND MANAGERS.
and practices that help remote workers do
their best work. Teams need to collaborate
cohesively and function effectively regardless
of distance, while managers and employees
need to feel connected no matter where
they’re working.
Here are a few management practices
I’ve found especially useful in remote
work contexts:
• Make time for face time: Even in an
age defined by digital communications,
in-person contact remains essential.
Schedule regular, one-on-one meetings
with each of your direct reports and
make sure they do the same with their
team members. If you can do it often,
all the better.
• Turn your cameras on: People can be
shy about video calls at times, but seeing
the faces of colleagues goes a long
way for team bonding – especially for
remote workers who can also feel isolated
and disengaged. It also enhances
communication through the kind of non-
verbal cues and expressions that can’t
come through in a voice call. Even when
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INTELLIGENTCIO
deliverables, invite questions and
brainstorm ideas. The insight you gain
can save you time and prevent problems
further down the line.
• Choice is a big deal: With so many
communication tools, work with your
team to find the best format that
works for them. Email, chat, text and
messaging apps are all powerful bursts
of communication that give employees
flexibility to connect their way. Add in the
power of gifs and memes and you’ve got
a lot of subtext in text messages.
How we can help
The good news is that today it’s easier than
ever to deploy simple technologies that
help employees become more engaged and
productive no matter where or how they
work. It’ll come as no surprise that I’m a
big fan of Citrix digital workspace solutions,
but that’s my view as a HR professional as
much as a Citrix executive. As work becomes
more dynamic, people need to become
more adaptable. Citrix workspace meets
that need by combining best-in-class access,
networking and analytics that let people
work however they choose with a secure,
contextual and unified experience anywhere,
on any device and any network.
That’s as good for businesses as it is for
users. The changing face of work now
favours organisations that trust employees
with flexibility and that give them
personalised tools to boost their productivity,
engagement and creativity. Businesses
www.intelligentcio.com